Ironworks

Quick tips for better iron play

Beat The Wind
To hit successful shots into the wind or facing a crosswind (go ahead and swing away as normal when hitting downwind), remember two key factors. First, keep the hands ahead of the ball at impact. This is what I meant by “covering” the golf ball on the previous page. Not only will this produce a lower shot, but a slower release of the hands ought to reduce spin, as well. Second, finish with the hands in a lower position. This will help you hit down and through, as opposed to down and up, which might add loft to your shot.

Hit It Higher
The simple solution to hit a higher shot is to change clubs in favor of an iron with more loft. But what if you need to add a higher trajectory to all your iron shots? Instead of fixating on ball position, weight shift and/or rotation, consider the following advice to hit higher shots.

Start by taking a look at the position of your hands at the top of the backswing. If you have a flat wrist, where the back of the hand is flat (or near flat like mine) with the forearm, odds are that you tend to hit your irons on the lower side. To add height, consider cupping your wrist (see inset photo) more at the top of your swing. A cupped wrist will open the face more at the top of your swing, as well as at impact, causing your shots to fly higher. Just remember, a cupped wrist also promotes a fade, so be sure to aim more to the left and be ready for some left-to-right ball movement.